Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1887-12-23

Ida; 'he trQw de big bowl o dye out de
wlnder, and Portia were right dar, Ia,
asleep; an he's tuck good car o she ebber
sence, but the dye-he won't wash out"
Wouldn't she make a good advertise
ment:" asked Miss Joe, laughing till she
cried.
Then Sam was called upon to tell his
story; for the invalid son had been
marched off into the parlor and placed
upon comfortable lounge, where his
mother sat grooming and laughing and
weeping by turns at his side.
dat fotch him; If notnm else won't rotUn
a man, de name of his mudder will.
Gan | took it on myself to order q suit
of new clothes, kase | knowed you'd foot
de bill-an har it am, wild my humble
sorrer dat done neglec my work; but
you knows what fer, now"
'Noble fellow!" said Mr.. Chesterton,
and he could hardly say it for the tears.
I'D pay a hundred such bills as this,
Sam, for the sake of seeing my poor lost
boy again. [ was rash to send him off
but God knows l didn't think he'd take
it so in earnest!'
He held out his hand. "Sam. thank
you from my heart for saving nv bow,
and it shall be worth your while. It's
my turn to make you a Christmas gift.
which | shall do by making out. free pa
pers for you and your wife, this very
day"
All this time Aunt Katie had been sit
ting on the top step, her face buried i'll
her apron, neither moving nor speaking;
but when, clear above all other voices.
she heard what the master said, and the
wild applause that followed, she gave
one spring and fell down at Sans feet.
Seems if everybody hev faith in my
Sam but me-" she sobbed. "Oh, Sam,
forgive yo disrepentant ole wife,
At this moving sight Uncle Coles mule
made for her again; but the ole man was
sat the hellem," as he expressed it, and
held the creature back.
Sam was the hero of the plantation
that day. 1t seemed as if there could
hardly be enough done for his pleasure;
and at the various festivals his was the
central figure. Poor, pale Mrs. Chester
ton actually fell upon his neck, and
thanked him with sObs and tears.
1t is, perhaps, needless to say that Sam
still STAYED on, built better cabin. and
made his family more comfortable. In
process of time the war-cry sounded, and
Phillip was old enough and stout enough
then to handle a musket. He and Sam
81 hasn't much to tell, Mars Ches'ton,n
said Sam, twisting his old hat, "cept dat
one day [ meets a ghost outside Eden's
woods, an de ghost he knows me, an
asks to be took car OBJ, kase he wouldn't
go home, as he wOr ragged, an lame, an
sick.
"WeIl, L tuck de ghost-case I didn't
b'ieve twar raal-to little cabin in Eden
wood, an you knows, sir, Is a bit OBJ a
doctor, an goes to gittin YARDS an things
an boun up his leg, an begs an implores
him to let me tell de folks, to make EN-
hoppy; but no, he iist make me take an
oath dat wouldn't let ibin soul know
OBJ it, or see him, tell he wor well-or
dead. an he did look like death tryin
to grab him, sho; but jest sticks to him
tell I'd a-cured his leg an got him up
walkin.
"Lawd! but didn't he tell a story!
leave dat part to him-bout how he wo1
saved when de ship go down. But
coax an 1 pray him on my knees to be
brung har on Christmas Day in de mawn-
in, for a sort o gift to de hull family, and
fer to begin all ODER agin; but he'd elaI
he cOuldn't-he wor too proud to 90 back
"Den tell him how his mudder wor
heart-broke, an. sick, an dyin, mebby, an
ing wound, and after it was all over
both went North, where many of Mrs.
ChestertOn's relatives lived. Nearly all
the parties are alive to-day; and not q
Christmas comes that Sam is not held in
loving remembrance, and "Sam's Christ
mas" referred to with smiles and teams.